Elderly Man Accused Of Molesting Two Young Girls

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) – An elderly north Broward man is behind bars for allegedly molesting two girls at a Pompano Beach motel.

Murray Snider, 81, is charged with 10 counts of child molestation. He was supposed to appear in bond court on Wednesday but was unable to make it for medical reasons. His appearance has been re-set. Currently he’s being held without bond.

According to investigators, the charges stem from incidents between 2004 and 2006 when Snider lived and worked at the Executive Economy Lodge on Federal Highway.

Murray allegedly told detectives that he’s been molesting girls all his life but has never been charged for it before. He said he didn’t know how many girls he had victimized but that he did it whenever he had the opportunity. Snider, who is suffering from a lung disease, has a fairly clean criminal history aside from an old prostitution charge.

The Broward Sheriff’s Office said they’ve identified at least six other girls who they suspect Snider molested. Detectives said Snider would have little girls call him “Grandpa” and invite them to his room for movies and snacks. Then he’d sexually molest them.

Broward Sheriff’s Office Special Victims Unit detectives arrested Snider, 81, Tuesday at his mobile home in Margate, that he shares with a full-time home health aide.

When CBS 4 News spoke to him, he expressed shock over the allegations.

“The hair stood up on my arms. I have two daughters and I would never have imagined anything like this,” he said.

Detectives began their investigation May 30 after a teenager in Sebring told her mother that Snider repeatedly molested her when she was between the ages of 6 and 9.

Snider was born and raised in Tallassee, Alabama. In the 1990s, he lived in Williamson, Jefferson, Hardin, Panola and Orange counties in Texas. He lived in Las Vegas in 1999 and then moved around Florida, living in Sebring, Clearwater, Largo, St. Petersburg and Miami. He worked at the Executive Economy Lodge from 2004 to 2009.

Anyone who thinks she or a family member may have been a victim of Snider’s can contact BSO Det. Eric Hendel at (954) 321-4240.